The Los Angeles IPA Fest Returns to Mohawk Bend This Weekend

On Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 60 California breweries will compete in the 6th Annual Los Angeles IPA Festival presented by Mohawk Bend, the California-focused craft beer bar and Echo Park restaurant. The highly curated festival is a celebration of the productivity and ingenuity of the thriving craft beer community and features an extensive collection of West Coast India Pale Ales from across the Golden State, plus an all-star judging panel comprised of the best minds (and palates) in California beer.

“We look forward to hosting our 6th IPA Fest and honoring this signature style of California craft beer,” said Tony Yanow, co-founder of Artisanal Brewers Collective and owner of Mohawk Bend and Tony’s Darts Away. “The roots of California IPAs go back 40 years to the iconic Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and we love to celebrate the history of this progressive style of brewing at our festival. It’s all about bringing the brewers and beer drinkers together to celebrate the hoppy goodness.”

On Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m., The Main Event, will offer a sampling of a mind-blowing array of IPAs, many of which are brewed exclusively for the festival, while mixing and mingling with beer world greats. Festival-goers will then vote for their favorites for the People’s Choice award, while the panel of judges work through the selection for the main awards. Once all the votes are tallied, the awards ceremony will take place at 4 p.m., at which point the judge’s winners and People’s Choice award will be announced. A limited food menu will be available including vegan and non-vegan pizza slices, as well as $5 8 oz pours and $5 keepsake glasses.

Guests can upgrade their Saturday IPA Fest experience with tickets to a limited Brunch with The Brewers are available for 10 guests only at $40 a ticket. The event includes a self-serve, all-you-can-eat brunch buffet and unlimited tastes of the competing beers with some of the best brewers and brewmasters in the nation, and a chat with prolific beer journalists. Guests will judge the beers as the pros do, complete with a Beer Judge Certification Program score sheet, and try to guess which of the featured 60 California IPAs are in the glass.

A Final Judgement supplementary event is also available for 10 guests only from 3 p.m.to 4 p.m. at $30 a ticket. Tickets include the opportunity to judge 5 California West Coast-style IPAs that make it to the Finals. Guests will taste the very best chosen out of the 60 IPAs and afterward, will find out what the beers were and how their voting stacked up to the IPA Fest judge votes.

On Sunday starting at 9:30 a.m., the Taste of the LA IPA Fest, will offer eight pre-set flights and half pints of the remaining beers while supplies last, along with Mohawk Bend’s full brunch menu. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mohawk Bend will host a No Leftovers recap brunch featuring a choice of one brunch appetizer and one brunch entrée, as well as unlimited tastes of any of the remaining Los Angeles IPA Fest beers for $45 a ticket. Guests will be joined by several of the Artisanal Brewers Collective beer geeks including Noah Regnery, head of brewing operations for New Original Breweries, Paige Reilly, winner of Locale Magazine’s Favorite LA Brewery Owner, Andrew Phillip, Tony’s Darts Away General Manager and Thom Sigsby, Mohawk Bend’s go-to beer expert.

To check out the judging panel, competing breweries and buy tickets, visit laipafestival.com.